It wasn’t to be. Real Madrid lost their second final of the season to Barça and are now facing a season without silverware, regardless of what they achieve in the Club World Cup. Out of the Champions League, defeated in the Copa del Rey by their archirivals, and trailing by four points in La Liga, which is now their only incentive.
After the controversy surrounding Real Madrid’s final with the referees, the match was expected to be tense, and although there were controversial decisions, it wasn’t until the end that everything exploded with Rüdiger having to be held back by four players to stop him going after De Burgos Bengoetxea.
With Barça leading 3-2 and Real Madrid looking for penalties, the referee signaled a foul by Mbappé on Eric García, which was the last action of the match. At that moment, the Madrid substitutes, including Vinicius, Lucas Vázquez, and Rüdiger, angrily showed their displeasure with the decision. Specifically, the German threw an object at referee De Burgos Bengoetxea. The German’s outburst escalated to the point that his teammates on the bench had to restrain him.
According to Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea’s report, three Real Madrid players were sent off. Two of them, Antonio Rüdiger and Lucas Vázquez, were sent off during the 120 minutes of regulation time. The other player from Carlo Ancelotti’s team to see a red card was Jude Bellingham, who was sent off after the match had ended.
Rüdiger, from 4 to 12 games
According to the referee’s report, Rüdiger was sent off for “throwing an object from the technical area without hitting” the referee. In addition, after seeing the card, the player “had to be held back by several members of the coaching staff, showing an aggressive attitude.”
According to Iturralde González on Carrusel Deportivo, the Real Madrid center back faces a suspension of between four and 12 games. As it is considered a serious offense, he will have to serve his punishment in LaLiga. He would therefore miss the games against Celta Vigo, FC Barcelona, RCD Mallorca, and Sevilla. “I don’t know if it’s a bag, if it’s the bandage… but he throws an object at him and it goes past the referee. I don’t know if it’s the bandage with water or what it is. Article 101 of the regulations applies here, which regulates assaults on referees. That’s four to 12 games and, as it’s a serious sanction, it would be served in LaLiga.”
Lighter sanctions for Lucas and Bellingham
The other two players sent off, Lucas and Bellingham, could face a one- or two-match ban. The Galician was shown a red card in the 120th minute, at the same time as Rüdiger, for “protesting” one of the referee’s decisions “by entering the field of play several meters and making gestures of disagreement.” Bellingham, meanwhile, was sent off after the final for addressing the referee “in an aggressive manner, having to be restrained by his teammates.” According to referee Iturralde on La SER: “They will be one or two-match suspensions. As these are not serious offenses, they would have to be served in the Copa del Rey.”